The Robbery Chapter Eleven
by susanb51
Summary: Keith is held hostage by three bank robbers


Chapter Eleven

Keith forced down the last of his waffle and then gagged down the last of the blasted apple juice. He wondered if he'd ever be able to eat either of those items again without cringing.

Keith turned on the charm. "Angelina, do you think it would be okay if I shower and change? I'd like to get some of the blood off from where my shoulder bled last night and I'm tired of being in pajamas…especially if you and I go take a walk. Would you be able to find something for me to wear?" Keith gave her a dazzling grin and he deliberately blinked his long lashes at her in a suggestive wink.

She melted just like he suspected she would. "Of course. The bathroom is just to the left of the door. There's shampoo and body wash already in the shower rack. There's fresh bandages in there too. My dad found you some clothes. He put them on the couch for you and your sneakers are right there on the floor by the bed. I'll be in the kitchen cleaning up from breakfast. That'll give you a chance to get ready in private." Angelina gazed at Keith with love and awe and then gathered up his dirty dishes and left him to get ready.

As soon as she disappeared from view he launched himself out of bed and ignored his shoulder that was super sore. He wanted a shower because he wanted time for Joseph and his murderous friends to be far from the cabin before Keith made his escape. He also needed a bath and some clothes. No one needed to see Keith half naked in pajamas running around in the woods.

Keith ran into the living room, grabbed his new clothes from the couch, and he locked the bathroom door behind him. Like lightening he climbed into the shower throwing his bloody bandage onto the floor and kicking the blue pajamas off. The warm water blasted onto his body and Keith soaped himself up quickly. He wanted to get out of here….out of danger, out of the woods, and away from the Moretti murderers. Escape was all Keith could think of right now.

Angelina was a problem. Keith had to take her with him. Angelina would be in too much danger to leave her behind. Her stupid father had let Keith know that he'd kill her and not even care. Keith was sure he could talk her into leaving with him but could he get her to stay? And what would Keith do with her once he escaped? She couldn't live with him at his house. Where would he put her to keep her safe? So many unanswered questions whirled in his mind.

Keith washed his long hair and then rinsed quickly. Never had he taken a shower this fast. He climbed out drying off. In the cabinet under the sink he found a hair dryer. With one hand he dried his hair and with the other he yanked on his new clothes unaware that the clothes were from Sylvia's Styles that Frank had stolen for him yesterday.

As he exited the bathroom, Keith practically ran into the bedroom and with the speed of a panther his shoes were pulled on and into the kitchen Keith went with purpose. The whole process had taken only ten minutes; long enough for Joe to be gone and for Angie to have washed all the dishes.

Angelina was amazed that Keith looked even better than yesterday. Keith's brown hair shown like glass in the sunlight from the kitchen window and she smiled at him. He smelled fresh like Ax body wash. A touch of stubble was on his chin for he had rejected the idea to shave and waste more time. Keith looked spectacular.

"Hi," Keith greeted Angelina as he came hurriedly to stand next to her by the sink where she was drying the last of the plates. "You ready to go? Need any help? I'm anxious to explore around your cabin. I thought about your suggestions. I'm not sure which I'd prefer…the walk or the boat ride. You know yesterday I got turned around. How does a person get here to this campground? Is there a special road in or out?"

Keith stopped himself. He didn't want to give away his nervousness. Now was the time to run and Keith knew that a mistake could cost them both their lives. He wasn't sure how to leave since he'd been unconscious when they arrived yesterday.

Angelina eyed Keith and asked, "Are you okay? You seem to be in a hurry. Are you feeling alright?"

Time for more acting… Keith leaned next to her, his blue T-shirt brushing against her arm, and stared into her eyes. "I'm just thinking that some alone time with you is just what I need after a long painful night from being shot. I'm sure you can understand my excitement and why I might be a bit anxious. Right?" Keith leaned closer and Angelina could barely breathe in his proximity.

"Oh, yeah, sure," she stammered. "Well, there's a road out front of our cabin that leads around about eight miles until it returns to the highway. That's the way my dad took to go fishing. Across the lake is a road that leads to the ranger's cabin and is also a shortcut out of the woods and back to the highway as well."

Keith leaned down and whispered in Angelina's ear. "How about that boat ride? I love water and we can explore the other side. Sounds interesting, hmmm?"

She took a big gulp of air. Boating with Keith Partridge sounded like heaven to her. "A boat ride it is."

"Got any bottled water? We might get thirsty while we're out," Keith questioned.

"Great idea. Then we don't have to be in a rush," Angie agreed. After all, who'd want to rush a date with such a talented, superstar? She grabbed a couple of bottled waters and a backpack that she had crammed with sandwiches and zip lock baggies of chips just in case their walk/ride went longer. A picnic with Keith had seemed like a great idea to Angie.

At Keith's questioning look, Angie whispered, "Snacks." Keith smiled at her clever thinking even though he knew she was unaware that for Keith this was an escape and not a romantic hike in the woods.

Without any more discussion, Keith took Angie's hand and pulled her out the back door of the cabin. He gave a quick look around but he saw no one. Off to the dock he headed with Angie in tow.

At the end of the dock was a wooden boat with the name _Lucky_. Keith hoped that this boat turned out to be very lucky for him and Angie. He helped Angie to sit near the front. "I'll row, "Keith said with a gentle voice.

"But your hurt," Angie worried.

"True but I'm a guy and it'll bruise my ego to let a sweet girl like you row me around this lake like a baby." Keith had another plan. He could use his hurt shoulder as an excuse to visit the ranger for some first aid. His mind was constantly trying to figure out the next move of escape.

Keith climbed into the back of the two-seater boat and he grabbed up the two, blue wooden ores. Angie climbed in too and put the backpack at her feet. Keith waited making sure that Angie was securely seated, Keith pulled on the ores and pushed away from the dock. The first pull strained his shoulder immediately and he nearly cursed aloud. Wow that hurt! Instead he planted a happy smile on his face and kept rowing. It didn't take long for his shoulder to begin to bleed. Keith pretended not to notice but he felt each pull of the oar and each scream of pain from his shoulder that was nowhere near healed. Keith didn't care. All he wanted was the ranger station and a phone.

His shoulder was not happy. In his haste, Keith had not re-bandaged the wound. He didn't care. He wanted freedom not a band-aid. He pulled and pulled. The strain was more than his gunshot wound could take. Slowly it began to bleed more rapidly and it took only a few seconds for it to make a huge stain on his clean, blue shirt.

Angelina noticed instantly and protested. "Keith. Stop. Your shoulder is bleeding. Let me look at it. Stop rowing! Please!"

Keith smiled at her. "Angie, I need to be honest. I am not sure how I got into these woods. Perhaps it is temporary amnesia. You and your family have been so kind but I think if I don't call my mother she will by now be worried out of her mind. I don't recall coming here. I have to get to a phone. I have to let my mom know where I am. You noticed I was panicking a little…well now I feel really upset. Forget the blood. The phone is what I need." He rowed on across the lake.

Angelina tried to reason with him. "Keith please. Stop. We can go back to the cabin and let me fix your shoulder. This is making it worse." Keith rowed harder and faster ignoring her remarks but smiling at her anyway.

"Keith, look. This isn't necessary. Please just stop rowing the boat."

Angelina watched Keith quietly. He was freaking out and the blood on his shirt was growing bigger. He certainly wasn't listening to a word she said. Okay she thought. If he wanted to call home she understood.

Watching him perform with his family last Saturday showed the love between Keith and his mom and his brothers and his sisters. Perhaps he did just wanted some family reassurance. That was why she had been so glad to hear from her dad. She missed him and hated when they weren't together. Especially since her mother had died last year.

Stars were a little peculiar and strange anyway. Maybe that's what she was watching. A superstar and his super strange behavior.

"Keith," Angie asked," do you think maybe your family was vacationing here? That would explain why you were here when the hunters shot you. Maybe your mom is here in the park."

Keith smiled. Although the idea was incorrect it would help Keith get to the ranger cabin faster. "Hey, Angie. That's a great idea. If we check with the ranger he could let me know who is staying in this park. Maybe my mom is here. Now that we are across the lake…where exactly does the ranger hang out?"

His worried eyes looked all around. He wished he'd had a watch but he never wore one and neither had Angelina today. Keith wasn't sure what time it was or how much time had gone by but he had rowed as fast as his tired arms would let him. If he was correct it had taken him about ten minutes to get the boat over to this side.

His shirt was soaking up the blood from his shoulder. It was a steady, painful drip. Keith felt weak from the boat ride and the blood loss but he said nothing to Angie. He could tell she was confused by his persistent behavior but he had to get them out of here and he had to get some help.

"That cabin right there belongs to the ranger," Angie pointed to a cabin close to the dock where Keith had parked the rowboat.

"Great," Keith said as he pulled Angie toward the back door of the small brown cabin. "Hope he doesn't mind unannounced visitors."

"I hope he hasn't started on his midmorning rounds of the campgrounds. You seem so nervous," Angie observed again.

"Man I hope he is still here. I don't want to interrupt his duties but I've got to get to a phone. I hope we made it in time," Keith worried.


End file.
